Moving On to New Beginnings

Yesterday the Teen graduated from High School. I thought I'd cry, but I didn't. I cried at the Cast Party because that is where the Teen's friends and life has revolved for all these years. I'll miss the "Crew" and all their running in and out of the house. I'm glad I have been and hope to continue to be their Drama Mama.

But the graduation itself was anti-climactic. Frankly, when there are over 700 students graduating everyone is just relieved when the last person's name is called. It was truly like a well-oiled machine. The speeches were tired and unrehearsed (in one case unprepared) when the officials spoke. The students who spoke did a great job (because they actually wrote speeches and for them this was NEW).

Complete mayhem afterward... 7000 plus people trying to connect with each others, a flurry of photographs while juggling diplomas and programs and coats and books and cell phones, and hasty hellos and goodbyes.

I was glad to get into the car and drive to the restaurant. Even the Teen was glad it was over. All our tears were shed during the Cast Party. I loved her people and I will miss her people. Advanced Production was her home at her high school. And that's what she'll miss.

Now we're off to new beginnings. Next on the horizon for the Teen is her entry into University. I can't wait to watch my War Eagle fly!!

Meanwhile, I'm off to a new beginning as well. I'm returning to the writing full speed ahead. I have to revise the beginning of my manuscript and I have to do it well. The changes will cause a ripple effect throughout the manuscript, but I am ready to dig in and do the work. I'll start revising tomorrow and continue through the weekend. I've promised the Physicist to emerge in the evenings to keep him company, but during the day, I am committed to working.

Because this is what makes me a professional. I've programmed myself to work hard and to get the job done. I've allowed myself ample time to noodle the story and brainstorm the changes. I have given myself permission to be a Mom first this week, but now I am parking my Mom Mobile and getting into my Writer's Wagon. It'll be a long and bumpy ride, but I'm confident I can do this...

I just have to get into the chair and start. So until I finish my revisions, I will be in my cave, hiding... I will emerge on Facebook and Twitter for brief breaths of air and socialization, but other than that I'll be off the Internet.

Wish me luck. Cross all appendages. Drop pennies in a well for me.... I need good mojo!!

Busy Days and Wild Ways

Life has gotten incredibly busy. The Teen graduates in one day from High School. There have been cast parties, graduation parties, and we've even managed to squeeze in a birthday dinner for the Physicist. Poor man has played second fiddle to the Teen's end of the school year activities for years. 

All that changes this year. I thought I'd be sad about the Teen graduating (yes I was a child bride and I had her when I was 13 haha), but I'm excited. Not going to lie. I'll miss her tremendously when she heads to college, but I am ready to give up my lunch lady and morning wake up call duties. Oddly, what I will miss a lot is seeing her perform on stage. I hope she will audition for roles at Auburn University despite majoring in Math. And I will also miss her friends coming over and making themselves at home for countless sleepovers and discussions about life, the universe and everything. 

She has great friends. I love them all and wish them well in their futures. I cried during the cast party. And I cried during voice recital. No doubt I'll cry during the graduation ceremony. But they were bittersweet tears. She's grown up. Her friends have grown up. We have done our job and raised her as best as we could. Now we have to trust that she will soar on her own. 

So we've had something going on every day since last week Thursday. And we won't get a reprieve until this Thursday. The Teen still needs her Senior year pictures made (the writing's to blame or just our busy schedules but the world didn't fall off the gravitational plane because of our procrastination). We're going to Burritt Mountain Wednesday afternoon to take them. I promise to take pictures with my camera and post them on the blog. I hear it's beautiful up there.

Meanwhile, back in my writing world I've been trying to build a website which got put on hold when the designer wasn't able to come through for me. So now I am attempting to work through it on my own with the Math Genius Teen's help during this summer. I might need a web presence at some point so a little effort here and there will make the difference.

I've also received an opportunity to work on one of my manuscripts with an editor. While it's not a contract, I'm over the moon because having that kind of guidance will help my writing mature. I want to become a better writer and I want my stories to resonate with my readers. I have a quote that I cling to which says "the world is waiting for you to get it right." I'm working toward that goal. All this fabulousness means I have to noodle the story again. Rework the beginning. Play with the suggestions. And I have. But I have approached it very gingerly. 

Why? Well, the graduating Teen is partly to blame, but there is also my realization that it will be better to act like a master carpenter while making these changes.

Measure twice. Cut once. Measure again. Build new walls. Then add the details. 

I'm trying out ideas. Jotting notes in my little booklet and talking to writerly friends about the first meeting between my hero and my heroine. I'm being patient (ha... can you hear the collective laughter of every single one of my friends, family members and CPs?). Patience isn't my strong suit but I must move slowly. I am considering this writing gig as a road with speed bumps. Each bump is there to slow me down and make me think carefully about where I am going. 

I want to get to the destination. I don't want to veer off course. I want to arrive with not just this story worked out properly, but with a master plan for all my stories. 

Stay tuned! Things are getting wilder all the time.